Drag Reducer for Semi-Trailer

ABSTRACT

The invention is a drag reducer for use in commercial semitrailers, trucks, cargo containers, rail cars, and the like. The drag reducer takes the form of tubing that collects fast moving air from under the trailer while the truck is at speed and forces it through tubing up and around the sides of the trailer&#39;s rear door. Small holes facing outward from the vertical tubing eject the air in a direction perpendicular to the direction of motion, thereby reducing overall drag on the trailer.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 61/540,504 filed Sep. 28, 2011, which is hereby incorporated byreference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTINGCOMPACT DISK APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to the field of accessories forcommercial trucks, and specifically to devices that reduce drag ontrucks, thereby improving the truck's energy efficiency and reducingfuel cost. Numerous air flow conduits and foils are taught in the priorart to reduce drag and increase fuel economy on trucks, trailers, cargocontainers, railway cars, and the like. These devices, however,typically focus on distributing air flow from the top, bottom, front, orsides of the vehicle to the rear. No known device distributes air in anoutward direction near the rear.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the invention is a drag reducer for use in commercialsemitrailers, trucks, cargo containers, rail cars, and the like. Thedrag reducer takes the form of tubing that collects fast moving air fromunder the trailer while the truck is at speed and forces it throughtubing up and around the sides of the trailer's rear door. Small holesfacing outward from the vertical tubing eject the air in a directionperpendicular to the direction of motion, thereby reducing overall dragon the trailer.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth inthe description which follows, and will be apparent from thedescription, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Theforegoing general description and the following detailed description areexemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide furtherexplanation of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention and are incorporated into and constitutea part of the specification. They illustrate one embodiment of theinvention and, together with the description, serve to explain theprinciples of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the invention installed on the rear ofa semi-trailer.

FIG. 2 illustrates a rear view of the invention installed on the rear ofa semi-trailer.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the invention's intaketubes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the invention in more detail, FIG. 1 shows a side viewof the rear of a commercial semi-trailer rig, FIG. 2 shows the rear viewof the rig, and FIG. 3 shows an exemplary air intake tube. Like numbersrefer to like parts in the drawings. The invention, in the embodimentshown, comprises two tubing systems mounted on either side of the truckwhich are mirror images of one another and function identically.

In each tubing system, air is collected through forward facing openings1.1 in the air intake tube (1) on the undercarriage of the rig. Asshown, the intake tubes have two openings on short branch tubes, howeverother embodiments may utilize more, fewer, or no branch tubes, and anynumber of openings (though at least one). Air is forced into the tubeopenings (1.1) by the motion of the truck at speed.

The pressure on the air in the intake tubes forces it out a rear openinginto conveyance tube (2) which conducts the air outward to the edges ofthe truck and out a top opening in the conveyance tube (2). From theconveyance tube, air is forced into a vertical output tube into whichhas been drilled a series of small holes that open outward,perpendicular to the direction of the truck's motion. As the air isforced outward from the holes, it interacts with the air moving past theexterior of the truck to reduce drag.

The tubing for the entire invention may be of any material from whichdurable tubing can be made, such as steel or PVC. The tubing may beaffixed to the trailer or truck body by brackets, the brackets beingattached by bolts or rivets. These and many other fasteners andmaterials are known in the prior art.

While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one ofordinary skill to make and use what is presently considered to be thebest mode thereof, those of ordinary skill in the art will understandand appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, andequivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. Theinvention should, therefore, not be limited by the above describedembodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methodswithin the scope and spirit of the invention.

I claim:
 1. A system for reducing drag on an oblong truck, trailer,cargo container, or the like comprising: (a) a pair of vertical hollowfluid conduits; (b) each of said vertical hollow fluid conduits beingaffixed to the rear face of an about oblong vehicle along one of its tworear vertical edges; (c) said vertical hollow fluid conduits beingpierced by a plurality of holes along its length in a directionperpendicular to and outward from the direction of forward motion ofsaid about oblong vehicle; (d) said vertical hollow fluid conduits beingcapped at their upper vertical ends; (e) a pair of axial hollow fluidconduits; (f) said axial hollow fluid conduits being fixedly attached tothe underside of said about oblong vehicle; (g) said axial hollow fluidconduits each having an opening near their first ends; (h) said openingsbeing oriented in the direction of motion of said oblong vehicle; and(i) said axial hollow fluid conduits being connected at their secondends in fluid communication with the lower vertical ends of saidvertical hollow fluid conduits; whereby airflow from the forward motionof said vehicle is forced into said openings and directed through saidaxial fluid conduits and into said vertical fluid conduits and out ofsaid holes in said vertical fluid conduits in a direction outward fromsaid about oblong vehicle, thereby reducing drag on said about oblongvehicle.
 2. The system of claim 1 wherein each of said vertical fluidconduits is in fluid communication with one of said axial fluidconduits, each via one of a pair of horizontal fluid conduits, and wheresaid horizontal fluid conduits are each fixedly attached to the rearface of said about oblong vehicle along a portion of the bottom edge. 3.The system of claim 2 wherein said vertical fluid conduits are connectedto said horizontal fluid conduits by a pair of right-angle fluidconduits that are oriented to connect vertical to horizontal at thelower outer corners of the rear face of said about oblong vehicle. 4.The system of claim 2 wherein said horizontal fluid conduits areconnected to said axial fluid conduits by a pair of combined systems oftwo right-angle fluid conduits, the first of said right-angle fluidconduits of each combined system converting horizontal to vertical at apoint along the lower edge of the rear face of said about oblongvehicle, and the second of said right-angle fluid conduits of eachcombined system converting vertical to axial around the bottom edge ofthe rear face of said about oblong vehicle.
 5. The system of claim 4wherein both said combined systems of two right-angle fluid conduits andsaid axial fluid conduits are located horizontally along the bottom andrear faces of said oblong vehicle at a pair of positions about one thirdof the distance from the outer edges to the center of said about oblongvehicle.
 6. The system of claim 1 wherein: (a) each of said verticalfluid conduits is in fluid communication with one of said axial fluidconduits, each via one of a pair of horizontal fluid conduits, and wheresaid horizontal fluid conduits are each fixedly attached to the rearface of said about oblong vehicle along a portion of the bottom edge;(b) said vertical fluid conduits are connected to said horizontal fluidconduits by a pair of right-angle fluid conduits that are oriented toconnect vertical to horizontal at the lower outer corners of the rearface of said about oblong vehicle; (c) said horizontal fluid conduitsare connected to said axial fluid conduits by a pair of combined systemsof two right-angle fluid conduits, the first of said right-angle fluidconduits of each combined system converting horizontal to vertical at apoint along the lower edge of the rear face of said about oblongvehicle, and the second of said right-angle fluid conduits of eachcombined system converting vertical to axial around the bottom edge ofthe rear face of said about oblong vehicle; and (d) both said combinedsystems of two right-angle fluid conduits and said axial fluid conduitsare located horizontally along the bottom and rear faces of said oblongvehicle at a pair of positions about one third of the distance from theouter edges to the center of said about oblong vehicle.
 7. The system ofclaim 1 wherein said opening in the first end of each of said axialhollow fluid conduits further comprises a plurality of branch fluidconduits; said branch being curved outward from the axial fluid conduitsto open in an about forward or forward-angled direction with respect tothe direction of forward motion of said about oblong vehicle.
 8. Thesystem of claim 7 wherein each set of said branch fluid conduitsassociated with each axial fluid conduit contains two branch fluidconduits.
 9. The system of claim 5 wherein said opening in the first endof each of said axial hollow fluid conduits further comprises aplurality of branch fluid conduits; said branch being curved outwardfrom the axial fluid conduits to open in an about forward orforward-angled direction with respect to the direction of forward motionof said about oblong vehicle.
 10. The system of claim 9 wherein each setof said branch fluid conduits associated with each axial fluid conduitcontains two branch fluid conduits.
 11. The system of claim 8 whereinall of the components of said fluid conduits are made of PVC and arejoined or fastened by adhesives.
 12. The system of claim 8 wherein allof said fluid conduits are made of steel, aluminum, or other metal, andare joined or fastened by welding.
 13. The system of claim 10 whereinall of the components of said fluid conduits are made of PVC and arejoined or fastened by adhesives.
 14. The system of claim 10 wherein allof said fluid conduits are made of steel, aluminum, or other metal, andare joined or fastened by welding.